Rep Brian Gosch (R, Dist 32) and Sen Tim Rave (R, Dist 25) are the prime sponsors of this bill. Part of this bill appears to add “attending the inauguration of constitutional officers, or attending the Governor’s budget report” to times when legislators are on the clock and can get per diem. I don’t see a problem with that, it is part of their job to attend the Governors budget address (the constitutional officers inauguration may be debatable though).

An odd change is to have the speaker of the House of Representatives or the president pro tempore of the Senate authorize paying a new legislator that must attend official meetings (such as committee meetings) and has not yet taken the oath of office. This bill takes that power away from the chair of the executive board of the Legislative Research Council.

This bill would also authorize the exec board to “Allocate funds to the House of Representatives and the Senate to pay for out-of-state travel and salary or per diem costs incurred by members, and to pay for in-state travel and salary or per diem costs incurred by members, excluding costs associated with any legislative session.” These funds appear to be on a first come first serve basis, because the bills says “No funds may be paid beyond the amounts allocated to each body.” This bill really seems to be about putting more power over per diem purse in the hands of the speaker and the president pro tempore.

Rep Jim Bolin (R, Dist 16) and Sen David Novstrup (R, Dist 3) are the prime sponsors of this bill. This would change the salary of the legislators from being $6,000 for every regular session to being at least $6,000 per every regular session. The only thing this bill does is add the “at least”. Which theoretically means the legislators can get paid more than $6,000 per session if this is passed. I don’t know what they have in mind, but honestly I don’t see a problem with legislators making more. The low pay of legislators basically makes it tough for anyone without money to give up a few months of their year in order to run for office.

Rep Jim Bolin (R, Dist 16) and Sen David Novstrup (R, Dist 3) are the prime sponsors of this bill. It is a partner to HB1149. This bill would provide an automatic pay raise for legislators as is done for the constitutional officers and Supreme Court justices.

Rep Dan Kaiser (R, Dist 3) and Sen Phil Jensen (R, Dist 33) are the prime sponsors of this bill. This would keep SD on summer time all year long. No more springing forward or falling back. Most of the resistance I’ve seen to this bill has to do with kids walking to school in the dark.

HB 1138– SoDakLiberty Posts – Revise the penalty for the failure to wear a properly adjusted and fastened safety seat belt system in a passenger vehicle.

Rep Dick Werner (R, Dist 22) and Sen Dan Lederman (R, Dist 16) are the prime sponsors of this bill. Right now the penalty for failing to wear a seat belt is a petty fine. This would change it to be a petty fine with a fee of $50.

Sen Alan Solano (R, Dist 32) and Rep Brian Gosch (R, Dist 73) are the prime sponsors of this bill. The bill passed Senate State Affairs and the Senate floor with no opposition. This is part of the Governors and Chief Justices initiative to reform SD’s horrendous juvenile incarceration rates. This bill would mirror some of the steps taken to reform the incarceration rates for adults. Parts of this bill has some good ideas and changes. But until the state actually looks at reducing the number of victim-less offenses that are crimes, there will continue to be an outrageous number of people in SD locked up for no reason.